1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to a geographic-based communications service and, more particularly, is concerned with an apparatus and method for using known locations of wireless local area network access points (APs) to service mobile users (MUs) of portable smart devices (e.g., notebooks, personal computers, PDAs, etc.) who are in the vicinity of these APs.
2. Related Art
As technology improvements result in smaller, lighter and more portable computing devices, a wide variety of new applications and users will emerge. Users will not only operate such devices in stand alone mode, but with portability, users will also require the ability to send and receive information through such devices at any location. The need to communicate will arise in circumstances where hard wired links may not be readily available or practical or when the user of the portable computing device cannot be reached immediately. Moreover, a result of user mobility is that the precise location of the user is often variable or not determined. Conventional communications systems for computing devices are not equipped to handle such communication scenarios.
Commercially available personal computers or other similar devices are generally equipped with industry standard interface ports for driving a peripheral device such as a printer, a plotter, or a modem. While operating in an unknown, remote location not connected to a network, the portable personal computer user may be unaware of messages waiting for him. In addition, conventionally, the user must wait until reaching an office or other place with appropriate equipment to receive such messages and to transmit or print documents or other information prepared by the user on his personal device.
By way of example and not limitation, one type of mobile user is the traveler who passes through airports or similar mass transit centers (e.g., subway commuters), uses ground transportation and stays in a hotel. In a typical scenario, a traveler may use a personal computer to perform calculations or prepare documents on a personal computing device during an airplane flight. Simultaneously, associates may leave messages for the traveler on a network. In conventional systems, the user""s work product and messages destined for the user are not available until the user arrives at a location where a wired connection to the user""s network is available.
A further example of inefficiencies for the traveller concerns travel arrangements themselves. After arriving at an airport, the traveller proceeds to a car rental desk or to some other transportation location. The traveller typically waits in line while the car rental agency inquires about automobile preference, driver""s license, method of payment, type of insurance required, etc. Having experienced some delay, the traveller is now on his way to a business location or hotel. Upon arriving at a hotel check-in/registration desk, the traveller often experiences further delay waiting in line and providing the check-in clerk with routine information such as address, length of stay, type of room desired, method of payment, etc. In addition, the business traveller must call back to his office to check for telephone messages, thereby incurring further delays.
While accessing data bases for information about the traveller, his preferences and requirements can reduce such delays, a common characteristic is that the pending arrival or presence of the traveller is not known to those who can act in advance. Further, conventional systems cannot generally locate a mobile user of a personal computing device and take advantage of that information to reduce the time required to complete routine activities or to provide the user options that can enhance the user""s productivity.
In another example, when a user dials a telephone number to an automatic teller machine (ATM) locator, the user is prompted to key in his area code and exchange prefix. The locator system then identifies one or more ATMs within the user""s area. However, the system requires the user to call in and cannot locate the user any more accurately than the telephone exchange area. Thus, the user could be advised of an ATM quite a physical distance from the user""s location.
In view of the above limitations of the related art an object of the invention is to provide a system in which a mobile user can be geographically located automatically.
It is another object of the invention to provide a system which can automatically locate a user with greater precision than is currently available.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a system which integrates personal computing devices to networks such that routine tasks, such as travel routing can be accomplished more efficiently.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a system that allows a user to employ a personal computing device more effectively and to utilize otherwise idle time, such as time spent waiting at a car rental desk, a hotel registration desk and the like.
According to the invention, mobile users communicate with wireless local area networks within the range of an access point (AP). When a user passes an access point, the access point recognizes the user, and the user""s device can then retrieve data (telephone, E-mail messages, etc.) waiting for the user and transmit information (E-mail messages, print documents, requests for information from service providers, etc.) that the user may have for transmission to a desired recipient. For instance, this process could occur as a user exits an airplane and is detected by an access point in an airport.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed toward a method and apparatus for using known locations of local area network APs (access points) to service mobile users who are in the vicinity of these APs. Such access points and mobile units typically communicate with each other in a wireless manner. The method according to the invention includes the steps of: (a) detecting the presence of a mobile unit in the vicinity of an access point and (b) transmitting/receiving information from the mobile unit to/from the network through the access point.
According to the invention, information and services can be provided by various providers connected to the network which are able to respond to unanticipated requests or which have acquired knowledge about the user""s requirements, preferences and habits over a period of time and have extrapolated information from the user""s past practices for probable future actions consistent with these past actions.
For example, in one application, an access point receives a print job from a user""s mobile unit and sends it to a printer available at a destination point designated by the user so that the document is printed and available to the user upon his arrival at his destination. In another application according to the invention, upon detecting the arrival of a user""s mobile unit at a destination, a message, for example, an E-mail message, is sent to the user""s rental car agency. The agency can take appropriate actions so that the user""s rental car is ready and the user does not waste time waiting in line. Using a similar approach, a user can be pre-registered at a hotel so that his room is ready upon arrival.
Thus, according to the invention, a geographic-based communications service system for mobile users includes a mobile unit for transmitting and receiving information and a plurality of access points connected to a network and arranged at known locations in a geographic region for transmitting the information to and receiving the information from said mobile unit. One of the access points detects the presence of a mobile unit and sends a signal to the network. A plurality of information providers are connected to the network. The network accesses the information providers based on the signal received from a mobile unit via the access points to provide data to the mobile unit or to another entity on behalf of the user of the mobile unit. In particular, the known location of the access point detecting the presence of the mobile unit defines the location of said mobile unit. Based on the location of the mobile unit as detected by the AP, a service provider on the network can take actions appropriate to the user""s location, such as notifying a car rental agency of the user""s presence or notifying the user of canceled flights and adjustments to the user""s itinerary. Further according to the invention, clocks in the user""s mobile device and event schedules can be updated automatically to correspond to the present time in the time zone where the access point detecting the user""s mobile unit is located.